March 27, 2013
As part of the FORS 200 - Forensic Seminar guest lecture series, Jeff Ward, Certified Crime Scene Investigator for the Nebraska State Patrol, gave a presentation providing information about the different types of investigations that he does as a CSI.
Ward indicated that his primary focus is evidence collection and preservation, so his work is mostly done at the scene of the crime. Ward investigates fraud, sexual assaults, attorney general investigations, assaults, death investigations and cold case homicides. He also goes undercover on occasion.
According to Ward, having an alternate light source and a camera are very important tools for his job. He sometimes takes over 1,000 pictures at a crime scene. He also indicated that suspect/victim computers and phones help solve about 50% of his cases.